|
|
NEWGULF,
TEXAS
AKA
New Gulf
Texas Ghost Town
Wharton County, Texas Gulf Coast
12 Miles E of Wharton
3 Miles E of Boling
Not shown on most maps
Population: Unknown
Newgulf
Area Hotels - Book Here & Save
Wharton
Hotels
|
|
|
|
| Photo
courtesy Lauren Meyers, 2006 |
|
History in
a Pecan Shell
The Texas Gulf Sulphur Company built the town in 1928 - before most
of Wharton county had paved roads. Named by contest (open to employees
only), Newgulf was comprised of 400 one, two, and three bedroom houses
that were leased to employees. The town even had its own downtown
- a single four-lane road with essential businesses on either side,
including a movie theater. |
|
|
Photo
courtesy Lauren Meyers, 2006
|
| |
|
|
Photo
courtesy Lauren Meyers, 2006
|
| |
The town had
its own post office and the company provided a hospital, library,
school, and golf course. The population of Newgulf was 1,586 in 1940
- the highest it would ever be. The semi-isolated community was a
world unto itself - and residents developed into a very close-knit
community - seldom venturing out - even to still-developing Boling
- just 3 miles away.
The year Newgulf "opened" an independent school district was formed
with three schools. Iago, Texas and Newgulf each had elementary schools,
and Boling hosted the region's high school. After WWII Newgulf began
to decline as the demand for sulphur deceased. Texas Gulf Sulphur
built new plants and local employees were laid off. |
|
|
Photo
courtesy Lauren Meyers, 2006 |
| |
| Company houses
were first sold to "civilian" buyers in the early 60s. More efficient
mining practices led to further layoffs and for the 1980 census there
were just under 1,000 residents. Only 100 houses remained by 1990
and residents did more of their shopping in Wharton.
The clubhouse and golf course continued in operation but in 1993 the
post office closed and the Newgulf school merged with the Boling school. |
|
|
Photo
courtesy Lauren Meyers, 2006 |
| |
|
|
|
| Photo
courtesy Lauren Meyers, 2006 |
The mine site
continued to maintain a skeleton crew through the 1990s but today
Newgulf and its landmark twin smokestacks are included in the long
list of Texas ghost towns.
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
Wharton
Hotels
More Hotels |
Newgulf,
Texas Forum
Subject:
Remembering Newgulf
I WAS RAISED IN NEWGULF. I WAS BORN IN WHARTON IN 1946, MY PARENTS
BONNIE JOHNS O'NEAL AND FATHER LL O'NEAL, JR BOTH GRADUATED FROM
BOLING HIGH SCHOOL. THEY LIVED IN OLD GULF AND WENT TO SCHOOL THERE
AND WHEN NEWGULF OPENED UP THEY MOVED. MY GRANDFATHERS BOTH WORKED
FOR TEXAS GULF SULPHUR. EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY DID. NEWGULF WAS ONE
OF THE BEST PLACES TO GROW UP IN. IT WAS SO COOL BECAUSE YOU NEVER
HAD LOCK YOUR DOORS, HOLLOWEEN WAS MORE FUN NO PROBLEMS, HOLIDAYS
WERE GREAT , CHRISTMAS THEY DID LIKE ALL OF THE OTHER TOWNS BECAUSE
WE DECRATED OUR FRONT DOORS AND HAD PRIZES.
OUR FRIENDS WE HAD WERE VERY CLOSE. THERE WERE ONLY 3 CHURCHES IN
NEWGULF, CATHOLIC IN WHAT WE CALLED MEXICAN TOWN, BAPTIST CHURCH
NEXT TO THE ELEMTARY SCHOOL, AND THE METHODIST CHURCH NEXT TO THE
LIBRARY.
OUR LITTLE TOWN HAD A HOSPITAL WITH TWO DOCTORS THAT I REMEMBER.
DR. SIMONS, AND JOHNSON. IT WAS A GOOD HOSPITAL, AND THE DOCTORS
AND NURSES WHERE GREAT.
THE HOUSES YOU SHOW WERE NOT BUILT UNTIL SOMETIME IN THE LATE 50'S
THE HOUSES WE ALL LIVED IN WERE WOOD FRAME HOUSE WELL BUILT AND
WELL TAKEN CARE OF BY THE COMPANY. I KNOW WE LIVED IN 3 HOUSES IN
NEWGULF UNTIL WE MOVED IN 1963 TO WHARTON. ON OUR STREET WHICH WAS
AVE. H THE 1ST HOUSE CLOSE TO DOWN TOWN ON THE LEFT WAS MY GRANDPARNETS
THE JOHNS, YOU CAME DOWN ABOUT 5 BLOCKS THE 1ST HOUSE ON RIGHT WAS
OUR THE ONEALS, WHICH WAS THE HOUSE MY DAD LIVED IN WHEN THEY MOVED
FROM OLD GULF, AND AT THE END OF THAT BLOCK ON THE RIGHT WAS MY
AUNT AND UNCLE THE STAFFA'S MY WHOLE FAMILY LIVED ON THE STREET.
HOW GREAT IS THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU WHEN MY AUNT DIED THERE WERE SOME OF US TALKING ABOUT
GROWING UP IN NEWGULF AND WHAT A WONDERFUL THING IT WAS. YES , WE
HAD 2 GROCERY STORES, AT ONE TIME THERE WAS A SHOW, PHARMACY, BARBER
SHOP AND BEAUTY SHOP, DRY CLEANERS, 2 PLACES YOU COULD BUY CLOTHES
AND SHOES, AND OTHER THINGS. LATER THERE WAS A CAFE BUILT. THEN
WE HAD A PLACE FOR THE KIDS TO GO WHERE WE COULD GET HAMBURGERS,
AND THE WORKS, JUKE BOX AND ALL GOOD THINGS. 3 SERVICE STATIONS.
THE GOLF COURSE WAS REALLY GREAT. MY GRANDFATHER JOHNS MADE A HOLE
IN ONE AT THE COURSE.
MY MOTHER KNOWN BETTER AS BILLYE O'NEAL AND MY AUNT ELLEN STAFFA
WORKED FOR THE COMPANY ALSO. YOU SAID WE DID NOT GO ANY WHERE WELL
WHEN THE TOWN WAS FIRST BUILT I GUESS SO. BUT WE WENT TO HOUSTON
ALL THE TIME, AND TO WHARTON ALSO. AFTER WAR WWII IT SEEMS THAT
PEOPLE GOT OUT MORE AND WE DID A LOT MORE. THERE ARE A LOT MORE
I COULD SAY BUT THIS IS ENOUGH FOR NOW. AND I HOPE YOU DO READ IT.
IN OUR FAMILY THERE IS ONLY MY COUSIN GENE STAFFA, JR AND MY SELF
BONNIE MARIE ONEAL BUCEK LEFT.
I THINK IT IS NECESSARY TO SAY WHILE MY FATHER NEVER HAD A BOY,
HE WAS BIG INTO BOY SCOUTS. THE BOY SCOUTS FROM NEWGULF IN THE 50'S
WENT TO WASHINGTON, DC TO THE JAMBOREE. THAT TO ME WAS IMPORTANT.
MY MOTHER WAS BIG IN THE GIRL SCOUTS. THANK YOU - BONNIE ONEAL
BUCEK, COLLEGE STATION, December 20, 2006
Anyone wishing to share stories, memories or photos of Newgulf,
Texas,
please contact
us.
© John Troesser
More Lauren
Meyers photos
|
|
|
